Horse racing’s premier event of the year takes place on Saturday, May 7 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby annually pulls in betting interest from regular sports bettors as well as novices. Here we will answer the question as to what time does the Kentucky Derby start and end as well as provide info on how to wager on this year’s biggest horse race. Betting odds and how to bet on this major American sporting event will also be provided.
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What time does the Kentucky Derby start and end?
One of the most asked questions regarding the sporting calendar is what time does the Kentucky Derby start this year? Churchill Downs tries to start on time every year but the pre-race hoopla often sets it back a few minutes. According to the Kentucky Derby website, this year’s race will start at 6:57 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The website also lists the following key times as “approximate.”
- 6:09 p.m. ET: Watch the horses walk from their barn to the Paddock.
- 6:37 p.m. ET: Listen for “Riders Up” as jockeys are told to mount their horses.
- 6:39 p.m. ET: The singing of “My Old Kentucky Home.”
- 6:57 p.m. ET: The start of the Kentucky Derby.
The race typically lasts around 2 minutes, hence its nickname of “The Most Exciting 2 Minutes In Sports.” So expect the race to end right around 7 p.m. ET. NBC’s coverage of the 2022 Kentucky Derby starts at 12:30 p.m. ET and will end at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Odds to win the Kentucky Derby
Odds to win the Kentucky Derby have been posted at TVG. Check out horse information and morning line odds below.
| Post | Horse | Latest odds (6:30 p.m. ET | Morning Line Odds | Trainer | Jockey | W-P-S (Races) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mo Donegal | 9-1 | 10-1 | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 3-0-2 (5) |
| 2 | Happy Jack | 20-1 | 30-1 | Doug O'Neill | Rafael Bejarano | 0-0-2 (3) |
| 3 | Epicenter | 5-1 | 7-2 | Steve Asmussen | Joel Rosario | 4-1-0 (6) |
| 4 | Summer Is Tomorrow | 33-1 | 30-1 | Bhupat Seemar | Mickael Barzalona | 2-3-0 (7) |
| 5 | Smile Happy | 14-1 | 20-1 | Kenny McPeek | Corey Lanerie | 2-2-0 (4) |
| 6 | Messier (CAN) | 6-1 | 8-1 | Tim Yakteen* | John Velazquez | 3-3-0 (6) |
| 7 | Crown Pride (JPN) | 17-1 | 20-1 | Koichi Shintani | Christophe Lemaire | 3-0-0 (4) |
| 8 | Charge It | 15-1 | 20-1 | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez | 1-2-0 (3) |
| 9 | Tiz the Bomb | 27-1 | 30-1 | Kenny McPeek | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 5-1-0 (8) |
| 10 | Zandon | 6-1 | 3-1 | Chad Brown | Flavien Prat | 2-1-1 (4) |
| 11 | Pioneer of Medina | 53-1 | 30-1 | Todd Pletcher | Joe Bravo | 2-1-2 (6) |
| 12 | Taiba | 5-1 | 12-1 | Tim Yakteen* | Mike Smith | 2-0-0 (2) |
| 13 | Simplification | 35-1 | 20-1 | Antionio Sano | Jose Ortiz | 3-1-2 (7) |
| 14 | Barber Road | 54-1 | 30-1 | John Ortiz | Rey Gutierrez | 2-4-1 (8) |
| 15 | White Abarrio | 14-1 | 10-1 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Tyler Gaffalione | 4-0-1 (5) |
| 16 | Cyberknife | 15-1 | 20-1 | Brad Cox | Florent Geroux | 3-2-0 (6) |
| 17 | Classic Causway | 75-1 | 30-1 | Brian Lynch | Julien Leparoux | 3-1-1 (6) |
| 18 | Tawny Port | 74-1 | 30-1 | Brad Cox | Ricardo Santana Jr. | 3-1-0 (5) |
| 19 | Zozos | 43-1 | 20-1 | Brad Cox | Manny Franco | 2-1-0 (3) |
| 21 | Rich Strike | 80-1 | 30-1 | Eric Reed | Sonny Leon | 1-0-3 (7) |
